Vallien has stated that his “whole career started with horses.” The magnificent and gentle animal fascinates Vallien, who deftly captures their monumental form in a series of drawings. Until now, he has not exhibited his two-dimensional work in the United States. Portraying the horses in either black and white or golden amber flecked with red imbues them with an otherworldly air. Motifs from Vallien’s glass works appear as supporting characters—enigmatic cave-like drawings, celestial maps, landscape sketches, and mask-filled boats are layered directly on the horse form or set in the background. Vallien demonstrates a thoughtful touch when working in two-dimensions, blending chiaroscuro bands of soft color with precise line drawings. His deliberate layering of objects, tones, and textures creates a sense of depth on the page.
Shown here are a selection of limited edition archival prints on 310 gr ARCHES paper. 21 x 27”